Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar says Israel will close the United Kingdom’s consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, which is accredited to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. He links the decision to London’s announcement of sanctions affecting goods from Israeli settlements.
Saar also says Britain will be removed from a US-led coordination mission for Gaza. He adds that British training of Palestinian Authority forces in the West Bank will end. Israel further states that some British officials and other nationals will be barred from entering Israel, and reports also describe the expulsion of UK diplomats tied to a centre monitoring a Gaza ceasefire plan. Sources describe the measures as a response to the UK’s settlement trade restrictions, alongside similar actions announced by other countries.
While all outlets attribute the steps to Saar and connect them to the UK settlement sanctions, they vary slightly in emphasis—some foreground the consulate closure, while others highlight related restrictions on Gaza coordination, PA-force training, and travel or access for British officials and diplomats.
